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for the most part, you don't have to acclimate snails to your tank, they do that on their own. yes, they will sit for hours (sometimes days) curled up inside their shells. if the fish is picking on it (depending on the size of the snail), the snail will still come out and move around, it will just not come out all the way and move very slowly around fish which pick at it. i don't think a betta will kill a mystery snail, no matter how pesky it is, as long as you feed the snail well and it keeps growing.

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"That's the trouble with political jokes in this country... they get elected!" -- Dave Lippman

Well, I have the little guy in his very own, filtered 2.2 gallon (with tight fitting lid). I figured I would let my 2.5 gallon betta tank fully cycle without adding more of a bioload just yet, and give the snail a chance to get acclimated period. Since I never kept one, i wanted to get to know him better so I'll know if anything is missing once he goes in the betta tank.

This one came with a back full of snail eggs . I promptly scraped them off down the drain, no thanks. I suppose he'll give me more. Then again, maybe I should just keep this 2.2 going and let them breed, then sell them to local dealers .

Question #1: What are the temp requirements for these guys? My betta tank is unheated atm and only around 72. The tank I have the snail in is going to be around 75-76F, once the heat kicks in.

Question #2: He's not moving, but I know he's alive because I touched the part that seals him out and it contracted more inward. But he's just laying there after hours. Is this normal, or is he in shock? He may have gotten chilled on the way home and in my house if the tank he was in, was 78F or so.

Question #3: If the betta does pick on him when I'm not looking, does he have enough sense to recoil back into his shell for protection? I suppose if I see a snail all bunched up, then I'll know its not a good situation. But these guys go for periods of time like that anyway don't they? Don't they even float around sometimes, appearing dead? How long can that last?

Question #4: If the snail tank doesn't work out for him, can he go into my community tank if it was previously treated with coppersafe? I have since done many water changes and have a copper tester to verify that it is zero. But, I thought copper can come out of the silicone and still kill them. Would it be bad for my plants to put him in the 20 long? He would mainly eat dead plant material right?


Last edited by Cory_Di at 28-Feb-2005 18:29

For the most part, I've never had a problem with them.

Some bettas nip at the snail incessantly, but most have a nose aout and then ignore it.

I should think it should be fine, just watch for the first few days

For animals, the entire universe has been neatly divided into things to (a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks. - Terry Pratchett

I've kept them with bettas and never had a problem, but like moondog said it might depend on the betta's personality.

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I used to be Snow White, but I drifted.
~ Mae West

i would think that a betta would be likely to bite at the snail's antennae, thinking they were worms. of course, some snails can get by with shortened antennae, but this would be my main concern if i was gonna put those two together.

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"That's the trouble with political jokes in this country... they get elected!" -- Dave Lippman

Hmmm... is good question. I've been looking at buying an apple snail as well... most people suggest snails as good betta companions, but of course, as usual, it all depends on the betta's personality.

*waits with you for more information*

~Meow. Thus spoke the cat.~